2018
Interviewing Seattle police chief candidate Carmen Best
Carmen as a chief-of-police candidate in 2018, before being appointed to lead the Seattle Police Department.
Media & press
For journalists and producers.
Carmen Best is a clear, candid, and reliable voice on public safety, policing, and leadership. A national news contributor, she is available for commentary, interviews, and panel appearances.
Featured in
National media work.
Carmen’s national media work has included contributing to NBC News, with appearances on MSNBC and CNBC, and serving as a law-enforcement analyst for KING 5 in Seattle. Current affiliations to be confirmed with Carmen before publishing.
- NBC News
- MSNBC
- CNBC
- KING 5
Featured interview
You’re Allowed to Lead on Your Own Terms.
Carmen on the You’re Allowed* podcast: leadership on your own terms, and what it cost (and what it gave back) to lead Seattle’s police department through its hardest modern test.
From the archive
Selected interviews.
Clips from across Carmen’s public-safety career. More to be added as Carmen’s team curates the archive.
Areas of commentary
What Carmen can speak to.
Policing, public safety, and the path of reform
Leadership and accountability in public institutions
Recruiting, retention, and building a diverse workforce
Crisis leadership and rebuilding public trust
The convergence of public agencies, technology, and corporate security
Press resources
Downloadable press kit.
Bio
Short bio (50 words)
Carmen Best is the former Chief of Police of Seattle, the first Black woman to lead the department, and the best-selling author of Black in Blue. A 28-year veteran of public safety, she is a national news contributor and keynote speaker on leadership and the future of public safety.
Bio
Medium bio (100 words)
Carmen Best made history as the first Black woman to lead the Seattle Police Department, where she served from 2018 to 2020 after a 28-year career rising through every rank. She stepped down on principle rather than carry out budget cuts she believed would dismantle the diverse force she had built. Today she is a best-selling author (Black in Blue, HarperCollins Leadership, 2021), a national news contributor, and a keynote speaker on leadership, accountability, and the future of public safety. Her work has been recognized with honors including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
Bio
Long bio
Long-form bio (250+ words) to be supplied. Carmen’s team will provide the canonical long bio for press kits and event programs.
Photography
Hi-resolution headshots
Approved hi-res headshots in landscape and portrait crops, for editorial, speaking, and program use.
Document
Speaker one-sheet
A single-page PDF with bio, signature talks, formats, and booking contact. Built from the assets pack.
Media contact
Need a quote, today?
For interview requests, commentary, and panel appearances, use the media path on the contact form. Carmen’s team prioritizes time-sensitive media requests.